Anti-friction bearing



(No'ModeI.)

M. R. WOOD.

ANTI-FRIGTION BEARING. No. 390,424. Patented 001:. 2, 1888.

rares MILTON R. WOOD, OF CHICAGO, ILLTNOIS.

ANTlmFRICTION BEARBNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 390,424, dated October2, 188B.

Application filed April 1G, 1888.

, ings, in which-- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a constructionembodying my invention; Fig. 2, a central longitudinal sectional view ofthe same; Fig. 3, a transverse 'sectional view taken on the line l l ofFig. 2, and Fig. 4 a detail View showing a portion of the shaft and oneof the bearing and spacing rollers detached.

Like letters refer to like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

My invention relates to anti-friction bearings, and is in the natureof-au improvement upon the invention set forth in Letters Patent of theUnited States No. 378,350, granted to me February 21, 1888, for animprovement in anti-friction bearings.

The object of my presentinvention is to improve the construction thereinshown in various points in order to render its operation moreefiieientand reduce the friction to a minimum.

To these ends my invention consists in certain novel features, which Iwill now proceed to describe, and will then particularly point out inthe claims.

In the present instance I have shown my invention as applied to thebearing of a shaft,

A, although, of course, it will be understood' neeted by suitablescrew-bolts, b', which serve to hold the said end pieces and cylindricalcasing firmly together and form of the whole Serial No. 270,855. (Nomodel.)

a rigid box or housing, while at the same time they permit the said boxor housing to be readily taken to pieces when necessary and as readilyassembled.

The shaft A is provided with a reduced portion, a, which, when the saidshaft is in position, is inclosed within the housing B, and around thisreduced portion there is grouped a series of anti-frietion or bearingrollers, C, of a length sufficient to lit the said reduced portion a andof a diameter sufficient to bear upon the surface of the said reducedportion and also upon the inner surface of the annular flanges b,between which surfaces the said rollers travel. Any suitable number ofthese rollers may be employed, provided that their number or diameter issuch as to prevent their having contact with each other when spaced atequal distances apart.

The rollers C are provided with grooves c, forming reduced portions,upon which the spacing-rollers bear. These spacing-rollers D areemployed to prevent the bearing or antifriction rollers C from coming incontact with each other, one of said spacing-rollers being arrangedbetween each pair of bearing or antifriction rollers, as shown in thedrawings.

Each spacing-roller is provided with enlarged diskvshaped end portions,d, which fit within the grooves c of the rollers C and bear thesepoints, and with a central reduced portion, d', which has no contactwith. the rollers y C. The diameter of the spacing-rollers is such thatwhenall the rollers are properly grouped around the shaft saidspacing-rollers will not pass down between the bearingrollers.

In order to hold the spacing and bearing rollers in proper relativeposition, I employa retaining-ring, E, of a width equal to the width ofthe reduced portion d of the spacing-rollcrs D and of a diametersufficient to bear upon the said reducedportions when the parts areassembled, and upon those portions only. In order to provide for theassembling of the parts, I make this retaining-ring a divided ring, sothat it may be opened sufficiently for this purpose. This may beeffected in any suitable manner. In the present instance I have shown aconstruction in which the ring is cut at e, so as to permit the parts t0be assembled, the severed ends being connected after the assembling iseffected by means of a plate, E', which is secured to the exterior ofthe ring in any suitable manner.

If desired, the reduced portion a of the shaft A may be provided withcollars to enter the grooves c; but in that case the relative diameterof the said collars and of the reduced portions of the rollers C will besuch that their peripheral surfaces will not come in contact with eachother.

The operation of the device is as follows: When the shaft A rotates, thebearing-rollers C will move around the same in the direction of therotation of the shaft, the said rollers traveling upon the annularfianges b and rotating in the direction opposite to that of the shaft.Their friction will be entirely a rolling friction, and all slidingfriction which would tend vto increase the resistance is obviated. Thespacing rollers D serve to prevent the bearing-rollers from coming inContact with each other, and the said spacingrollers rotate in adirection opposite to that of the bearingrollers and bear upon saidbearing rollers with their enlarged end portions, d, only. The ring Eserves in an obvious manner to retain the various rollers in position,and moves in the same direction and along with the spacingrollers.

In the construction shown in my Letters Patent hereinbefore referred tothe various rollers bear upon each other and upon the journal at pointsof different diameters, and there is, consequently, a differentialmotion at these bearing-points which produces a sliding friction, whichis obviously disadvantageous. In the construction shown in the presentapplication this disadvantage is obviated by reason of the fact that therollers bear upon each other and upon the shaft only at points of likeor corresponding diameter, whereby all differential motion of surfacesin contact with each other is obviated and the friction reduced to aminimum by reason of its being entirely a rolling friction instead ofpartly a. rolling and partly a sliding friction.

It is obvious that various modifications in the details of constructionmay be made without departing from the principle of my invention; and Itherefore do not wish t0 be understood as limiting myself strictly tothe prea reduced portion, a series of anti-friction roll` ersiittingwithin the reduced portion and bearing against the surface of thesame and against the annular anges, said anti-friction rollers beingprovided with grooves or reduced portions, a series of spacing-rollersprovided with enlarged ends to enter the grooves of the saidanti-friction rollers and bear upon the reduced surfaces thereof, andwith an intermediate reduced portion not in Contact with theantifriction rollers, and a retaining-ring to fit upon the reducedportions ofthe spacing-rollers and hold the same in position,substantially as and for the purposes specified. l

2. The combination,\vth the housing B, having annular flanges b, of theshaft A, having continuous reduced portion a, the anti-friction rollersO, bearing upon said reduced portion and upon the annular flanges b andprovided with reduced portions c, the spacing-rollers D, provided withenlarged end portions, (l, to enter and bear upon the reduced portions cofthe rollers C, and with central reduced portions,d, not in contactwith the rollers C, and the retaining-ring E, fitting upon the reducedportions d of the spacing-rollers D to retain the same in position,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The combination,with the box or housing B, having annular fianges b,of the shaft A, the rollers C, arranged between said shaft and annularflanges and provided with reduced portions c, the spacing-rollers D,provided with enlarged end portions, d, to bear upon said reducedportions,and with reduced central portion, d', not in contact with therollers O, and the retaining-ring E, fitting upon the reduced portions dof the spacing-rollers D, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

MILTON R. kWOOD.

Witnesses:

A. M. Bas'r, IRVINE MILLER.

